Film pack construction



April 23, 1935. w. v. D. KELLEY FILM PACK CONSTRCTION Filed July 22, 1933 Patentefl pr.23,1935 b llNl-TED STATES ATENT OFFICE 1m.1vi PACK coivsmvcmow William V. D. Kelley, Los Angeles, Callf. assignor to CoIor-Photo, Knc. Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Califomia Application July :i2 was, Serial N0. as1,134 5 c (m. 952) In this speciflcation, and the accompariying In view of what just has been sa.id concemlng drswing, I shall describe and show a, preferred the preseni: state of the art, the principal objects form of my inventlon, and specifically m'ention of my invention are; first, to provide a. bi-pack; dertain of its more important obj ects. I do nur? 01' multi-pack, photographicfilmstructure which 45 limit myse1f to the forms disclosed, since various may be handled and used as a unit in Ehe same 6 changes anal adaptations may be made therein manner as single film, and in such equipment as without departing from the essence of my invenis commonly e p y d 0r Single fi in he tion as hereinafter claimed; and objects a;nd aolphotographic and cinema. arts; second, to supply vantages, other than those specifically mentione da. bi-pack o? multi-pack photographic film in 'i@ am included within its scope. which the cbmponent films are positively pre- 30 My invention relates to bi-pack and. multi-pack vented from mutual displacement, as by creeping photographie film, anal particularly 1:0 films of 0r otherwise, until it is desired 130 separate them; this natura that are adapted for cinematography. third, to secure a b i-pack or multi-pack photo- In cextain pmcesses of photography, it is congraphic fi1m a y be il b n 0v r.

il venient t0 emp10y superposed films; as for incylindrica1 su1faces, without buckling of the com- 35 stance, in color cinematography. In such uses ponent fi f0lllrth, 110 Dr0Vide -D m111- it': has losen necessary hitherto, to employ special 'i-pack cinema. film wherein the sprocket perequipment, thatls adapted for this barticulr forations of the component films are precisely purpose. Such 'equipment ha.s required double alike in every respect including location, so tha.t

the usual number of film reels, and double the they may be used to secure perfet'zt registmtlon of 20.

number cf many o1 the parts required f or Ehe the comiponents m; all times; fifth, to provide cpemtion of single films. Even so, difilculties are means whereby sup fllms 818 C0I1Strained encountered, such as; the problem cf maintguinto remain in perfect contact through0ut the ening perfect rgistration of superposed films; tire extent of their oppose d surfa.ces in all oravoidance of creeping or b1ickling of the dlnary uses, so long as.thi5 is desired; sixth, to' 25 films where they run over cylindrica.l surfaces; secure the afore said advantage& in a bi-pack or anal prevention of injury to the delicate surfaces multi-pack film construction, wherein the comof the fllms; by reason of slippage between them ponnt films may 'be 8 i1y Separated fr0m flach when they are in contact. A other, without injury to either of thexn; seventh,

5b In such uses as cinematography, films are alto secure the results now attaina.ble in cinemaways handled coiled, except when they are being tography bythe use of superposed separate films. run through the apparatus, and over cylindriczal without the'hece5'sity for employing extra magasu1 faces for exposure er projection purposes. zines, special equipmbnt, or additional parts of Therefore it is obvious that, by reason of difany kind; am], eighth, to accomplish thestated ierences in radius, superposed films as they have objets by meanS 0f ve y simple, mexpensive. and hitherto been used, cannoi; bekept in perfect dependablemens. My objects are attained in registration throughout considerable portions of the manner illustrated in the accompa y tl1ei1 lengths. 'I'his difliculty can be .reduc'ed drawin& in which somewhat, by using very thin films, laut it cannot F u e 11 iS a eva 0 8 -D fi1m .l bewholly overcome in this way. 'Ihe unter film, bodying my inventionwith the component fllms 40 by reason of its greater radius where it passe3 partially s p tem over cylindrical surfaces, necessarily must creep Fi u 2 1' a i r m n r fl ly n r d a11d with -respect to the underlying fllm; o1 the undistorted scale, illustmcing, in cross-sectlon, the derlying fllm must buckle from time to time to normal shape of the superposed component; fllms 45 compensate for the greater length of the outer used-in my improved qonstruction, and the first filni. Either of these things is l1ighly objec- Step in the process for ass(enibling them; tlonable. Creeping of the films while they are Figure 3 is a similar enlarged and distorted in contact, is likely to ca.use abrasions and diagram in cross-section, illustrative o1 the secscratches an their delicate su rfaces. Buckling nd st p of my p e for producing a -pa k also results, mute or less, in rubbing the delicate film. For certain pur10se a COInp0slte fi1m 00!1- 50 surfac.es together, but its chief objectlon is its Structed in he mamier h wn in Fi W ll 1be interferen'ce with runnlng the films through apentlrely satisfactory, so that thls figure may be paratus; and it will require greater space in magconsidered. as illustiating the final step of thia azines, and greaten clearances throughout the process when the composite fllm is intended tot I5 paths 012 travel. b A special pur'poses; am]. 5-;

Figure 4 ls a simllar dlagrammatlc cross-section cf my completed bi-pack constructioh, as lt ls ordlna.rlly used, and ls Illustrative of the final step cf the constructlon process, succeedlng the steps lllustrated in Figs. 2 und. 3.

Similar reference numerals reifer to slmllar parts throughout the several vlews.

Explaining more in detail what has been nutllned above, the usual practlce in such arts a.s color cinematography requlres runnlng two separa.te superposed films through the projectlon machine in contact, emulslon to emulsion. Thls necessitates fittl ng the projectlon appara.tus wlth double the number of reelsrequlred Ior single fl1ms,

vthc use cf two separate take-ups, und. requlres supplvlng two separate feeding means. 'Ihe takeuns und feeding mea.ns may, o! course, be constructed as a slngle unit; but, even in such a. case. there is the objectlon tha.t lt lnvolves specla1, and not sta'ndard, apparatus, and requlres more space. 'Ihe herein disclosed methocl of handling superposed films on slngle reels has not been usecl hltherto, because i t has not been considered t be practlcal for several reasons. Two lndependent superposed films will not roll up in a coll wlthout buckling, unless they are allowed to slip upon each other as they a.re belng colled. Obvlously, buckling interferes very serlously with the operatlng mechanlsm; and- II films are allowed to slip upon each other to prevent buckllng, there ls grea.t danger 01 abradlng or scratching thelr dellcate contacting surfaces. Furthermore, such superposed films, when wound, will be greatly out o1 registratlon. Perfect registratlon ls absolutely essential during exposure o1 projection, und lt has been the practlce to employ reglsterlng dowel plus, a.t or adjacent the exposure gate, to accompllsh this. Registerlng dowel plus are not required for single fllms; are nct standard equlpment; and thus are objectlonable; although necessary Ior uslng superposed fl1ms In the present state cf the att. 'Ihe present lnventlon providds highly satisfactory means for ovcrcomlng these difllculties..

-It ha.s been mentloned tha.t certaln 01 the difflcultles encountcred in the present use o! superposed films', can be reduced by reduclng the thlckness of the filmS themsclves. There ls a. llmlt to the extent that this can be done however. Although 'it ls pertek:tly feaslble 120 malte films cf any desired thlckness wlthln reason, the thlcknass cannot be reduced below a certalh mlnlmum wlthout exceedinglzhe llfnlts of the mechanlcal strength that ls requi1fefio wlthstand operatlng stresses'. I1 the fllm ls made too thln, lt may be expected to tear at the sprocket perforations, Ior example. Therefore a more o1 lass standard fllm thickness ls in use, whlch permlts the fllm to bc I'llIl. through cameras am! projectlon machlnes safely. -In other operatloris, such a.s developing, tonlng, and coloring, there ls a much greater margin 01 strength to withstand the hanclllng stresses; since very llttle, lt any, use ls made o! the sprocket p6rforatlons. Theretore, much thinner fllms can be handled in such processes tha.n could be handled through the mechanlsms o! cameras and projectlon machines. I hla.ve taken advantage 01' thls prlnclple in constructixig my composlte bi-pacl: or multl-pacl: unltary film.

Thus, I am a.b1e to mute each o! the component fllms o! my composlte bl-pacl: constructlon, appr0ximately one-half o! the sual "thlckness, the total thlckness 0t the composlte film belng about 2;;gsame as that commonly employed 1or slngle Passing now to a detalled descriptlon 01 my lnvention, a.nd referring to the dra.wlng whlch 11- lustra.tes an embodiment thereo! in a bl-pack fllm for clnematography, I flrst superpcse two comp'onent fllms 5 and 6, euch beim; cf one-half the usual thlclcness. I then unlte these two component tllms along narrow margins. a.s lndlcated by dotted lines I, at one or both o! the opposed pairs 01 edges. 'I'hls will result in a unlta.ry structure o! double the thlckness o1. the components, and approxlmately equal to the thickness o! ordlnary standard fllms. The unltlng must be accompllshed in such a. manner tha.t the composlte structure can be separated into lts component films, without injuring elther 01 them. In carrylng out this process, use is made 01 unperforated fllms, and the sprocket perforatlons 8 are made in the unltary 'structure, a.fter the com ponent fllms have been unlted. Thus, 1she locatlon, size, und sha.pe o1. correspondlng sprocket holes, will be exactly alike in the two component fl1ms; anti the sprocket holes ma.y be utlllzed subsequently, for brlnging the component films into perfect registration.

A composite fllm, constructed 01 ordlnary commercial materials in the manner just lndlcated,

is capable 015 passing over cylindrical surtaces, er 01' being tormed into a. coll, without buckllng or creeping 015 the components in elther case. Thls is Ior the rea.so n that the materlal 01 the cellulold ba.ses is highly elastlc and reslllent, permltting the outer component fllm to stretch, a.nd the inner component fllm to compress, su.tllclently tor the purpose; partlcularly when the components are half the usual thickness.

The resllient und. elaStic quallties 02 the m9.- terial commonly used .as bases 01 standard fllms is further utilized to insurekeeplng the conlponent films in actual contact Iace to face, throughout the entire extent 015 their contacting surfaces. 'I'his is accompllshed by manu:lacturing the component tllm strlps so that normally they will have arcuate cross-sections, a.s indicated ln Flgs, 1 2 und 3. 'Ihe face's cf the component fllms, i. e. thelr emulslons 9, are on the convex slde 015 the fllm ba.ses II. After being united, the composite fi1m will be flat, und the component fllms will be in perfect contact throughout, as incllcated in Flg. 4, and the lower portlon o! Flg. 1. Moreover, the composlte fllm will strongly band to remain flat in cross-sectlon, by rea.son 01 the lntemal stresses therein,'resulting Irom the deformatlon cf the normally arcuate crosssectlons o! the component tllms In case lt should be deslred to unlte norma.lly

flat coinponent. fllms in the manner descrlbed, or t.o unlte fllms that axe normally curved in the wrong dire :tlon, l. e., those havins thelr taces on theconcave sldes, lt ls very ea.sy 1:0 lmpart' the deslred arcuate cross-sectlons 1:0 the fllms by lz reatlng them in well known ways, as by tunning them through heated ca.lender rolls.

In theprocess o1 preparlng the compoislte fllms,

- machines.

the flrststeplstopositlonthefllmslace totace. with their convex emulsion Invers in oontact. The opposed edges 01 thecomponent fllms are then united together along a. narrow margin, at one side, as at I 2 to produce the structure shown inFig. 3. Theresultmaythenbeusedasa unitary composite fllm for certaln purposes; or the component fllms may be iurther united along a narrow margin at their other sldes. as indicated at I3, to produce the structure shown in Flg. 4.

After the comjaosite fllm ha.s been completed in the forms o! Fig. 3 or Flg. 4, one or both edges having been united in the manner explalned, lt is run through a. machine Ior forming the sprocket pertorations 8. Obviously such perforatlons, with respect to each 01 the component fllms, will be in perfect registra.tion und ms.y be utilized for registration pmoses, for re-assembling the component films.

Such a. composite fllm may be made o! the full strength of a. standard fllm o! thesame thickness; and it may be operated in precisely the Same manner, without any daxiger of buckling or creeping of tne components. Moreover, lt r(e quires no special apparatusin use, a.nd may be employed in standard camera/s and projection 'Fbr treating' the composite fllm, as in developing and flxing baths, or to color it, lt will be neoessary to separate the component fllms from the composite structure. Therefore, the 1i1anner in which they are united is important.- I have iound that an ordinary adhesive, even such a substance as common glue, may be utillzed satlsfactbrily for uniting the components. When.it is desired to separate these, 'they may be stripped tromor'1e another by mechanical pulling; with or withqut previous sottening 01 the glue. depending upon its characteristics. Since the glue ls'on narrow margins only, as indicated by doizted lines l, stripping 'the componentfllms from each other cannot; injure the picture surlaoes of the opposed emulsions, so that no practlcal lnjury i's done to the fllms in such trea.tmgnt. A preterred method cf uniting the fllms may be accomplished without the use of adhesive material, other than that comp rising the emulsions them.selves. Thus, a. ns.trow margln 015 the emulsion3, along the edges 01' the component fllm, may be softend by the aid o! heat, er by a suitable solvent: the fllms then belng placed l'ace to face in propex=relation, and thl: margins belng subjected to sufllclent pressure to cause the softened gelatinous material o1 the opposed emulsiuns to' coa.lesoe.- -H0l wat'er may be used ior the sottenini; process;or acetic seid, 0x similar solvent: may be employed. lt will be apparent that my imptoved composite bi-pack er multi-pack fllm. is particulnrly adapta suitable color-fllter layer M therebetween. 'Ihis fllter layer may be merely.a very thin stratum o1 direct 01' mordanted dye upon the iace 01 one of the emulslons, und the coloring matter of the dye may be destroyed in a. subsequent treating be.th in well known way s. Prints from such negatives may be made acc0rding t well understood 'practice, and be colored as desired. The colored positives may then be assembled in registering posltlons in the torm 01 the composite film illustrated in Fix. 1. v

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A palr o1 sensitlzed unexposed einem fllm strips superposed !ace to Iace, and separably united at portions 01 their opposed marglns 120 comstitu te a unitary structure; said structure having sprocket perforations therethrough, mada after said uniting; the faces of said strips being gelatinous layers; and said marginal uniting being the result of softening corresponding portions of the gelatinous layers, ancl subsequently 1 causing them to cohere by pressure.

2. A pair of sensitized, unexposed cinema film strips superposed face to face, and separably united at portions of their opposed margins to constitute a unitary structure; said structure having sprocket. perforations therethrough, 'made alter said uniting; the faces of said strips being gelatinolls layers; and said marginal uniting being the result 01 softening corresponding portions o1 'the' gelatinous layers by the aid. 01 heat,

und subsequently ca.using them to cohere by pressure..

3. A pair 015 sensltized, unexposed cinema film graphlc fllms 015 less than normal thickness superposed iace 120 Iace. and sepzirably united a.t portions 01 thelr oppoe;edmargins to constltute a unitary structure; seid structure having sprechet pertoratlons therethrough. made alter 'sa.id

strips supgrposedjface to face, 'and separably y at portions 01 their opposed margins 1:0-

un itlng; the ta.ce's o1! the component filnls belng gelatinous layers; xand said marginal unlting beim; the result 01 softening cortesponding porlzlons- 1 o1 the g'elatinous layers, 'and subsquently caus ing them to cohere by pres;sure. j

. 5. A p'air 01 sefiltized, unexposed einem fllm strips superposed face to Iace, und separably u1ilted m; portloxis@ot thelr opposed margins m cdnstltute a unitary structure; the taces 01 said slirlps being gela'.tinu s layers; and. sald mai'ginal unlting beim; the' result o! sottenlng correspondin: portions 01 the gelatlnous layers, and subsequ6ntly caus'lng them to coh91e by pressure.

" WILLIAM V. D. KELLIY. 

